1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus such as a telephone machine and a facsimile machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
As described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 63-38367, conventional communication apparatuses, such as a telephone machine and a facsimile machine, include a facsimile machine maintained under the control of a personal computer in such a manner that owing to a diagnosis function of the facsimile machine for sending a memory content of a control information storage area of a microprocessor of the facsimile machine, in response to a request for self-diagnosis which is received from the personal computer through a communication line, without converting the memory content into an image signal, the personal computer can convey an accident or the like to the facsimile machine located far away from the personal computer. Alternatively, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 64-44674, conventional communication apparatuses include a remote facsimile machine which has a function to respond to a remote signal sent from a facsimile machine, and a function of reading data from a memory or changing data stored in the memory in response to an instruction signal for remote data reading or remote data changing which is sent from the facsimile machine. Accordingly, the facsimile machine can learn about data and the like such as a contrast adjustment value of the remote facsimile machine located in a remote place, data concerning density adjustment of a printer or a scanner, data which determine the validity/invalidity of various facsimile functions of facsimile machine. Thus, such data can be changed through a remote operation by means of the facsimile machine.
However, with a communication apparatus according to the conventional techniques, at a center which controls a communication apparatus such as a facsimile machine and a remote facsimile machine, since it is necessary to use a unique communication protocol which is required by a personal computer, a facsimile machine or the like which is equipped with a fax modem for the purpose of controlling the communication apparatus, there is a restriction on an apparatus which is used for controlling the communication apparatus. Therefore, even when a condition of the communication apparatus at only one point is to be found, training must be conducted repeatedly, which demands a long time and a high communication cost.